


There's No Vacancy In Paradise

by lunarknightz



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-29
Updated: 2010-08-29
Packaged: 2017-10-11 08:22:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/110351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarknightz/pseuds/lunarknightz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veronica expected a lot of things out of Gotham City, but she never expected Bruce.  Set post Dark Knight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's No Vacancy In Paradise

The Federal Government of the United States of America did not react to the Joker's reign until after the crisis was over. It was, however, an election year, and the situation in Gotham became the hot topic in debates, conventions, and on pundit shows. Both conservatives and liberals alike seemed to have plenty of outrage to spare.

Survivors of the crisis became instant celebrities of a sort. The mother of slain assistant D.A., Rachel Dawes, wrote a memoir of her daughter that topped the _New York Times_ best seller list. Passengers on the bomb-rigged ferries were treated royally when they appeared on the Oprah show, each leaving with a gift bag that included a brand new car. True celebrities hosted telethons and started foundations to help those most devastated by the crisis. Rumors existed that Angelina Jolie was planning to give birth to her next child in Gotham City; Brad Pitt had recently leased the home next door to the newly rebuilt Wayne mansion.

The Joker had forever changed crime in Gotham City. No longer was the mob in control. A new breed of criminal began to pop up- people who were in the game for pleasure, riches, or glory, rather than a ring of organized crime. And most of them wore costumes, each a little more outlandish than the next.

The FBI opened a new bureau in Gotham, beefing up staff members and moving some of their brightest recruits to the city. Only one agent requested to be transferred- a short but feisty blonde named Veronica Mars.

Not many agents entered training with a resume as polished as Veronica's. She'd broke open the case of the murder of Lilly Kane before she even graduated _High School_. While the other agents groused about being moved to Gotham, Veronica merely shrugged. "At least Gotham isn't pretending to be dark and seamy. It is what it is." Strange words, it seemed, coming from a girl born and bred in sunny California.

She was a brilliant agent, but Veronica was more than a little weird.

 

__________

 

"You know, I dated the guy who played you in that T.V. movie." Those were Veronica's first words upon being introduced to Bruce Wayne. It was true. Logan had started acting after college, and after starring on a low rated but critically adored drama on the CW for a couple of seasons, he'd landed the role of Bruce Wayne in _The Bruce Wayne Story: From Tragedy to Triumph_". Logan had won an Emmy for the role. The truth of the statement didn't make it any less pathetic.

Bruce hadn't seemed to care. "You did?" He said with a chuckle. "Would you like to try the real thing?"

They spent the rest of the night dancing and flirting, and they ended up in the dark corners of the coatroom in the late hours of the night. As Bruce's lips tickled her neck, and his fingers roamed down her the slick fabric of her dress, Veronica decided that she liked the real thing very much.

 

____________

 

Putting an electronic tracer on one's boyfriend was not an accepted part of any courtship ritual that she'd ever heard of. Veronica felt more than a little weird walking down the dark alleys at this time of night, chasing down Bruce, but he needed help.

Bruce had a face worthy of a movie marquee. He was absolutely gorgeous. In the short time they'd had together, Veronica had fallen for him, fast and hard.

For all intents and purposes, he felt the same. His butler, Alfred, had almost died of shock when he brought Veronica home. Although Bruce had a reputation as a playboy, he didn't bring many of his dates home.

Veronica was a repeat visitor.

She woke up early one morning, when the early morning light was barely breaking in through the windows. She lazily snuggled closer, resting her cheek on his back. Instead of the soft surface she expected, she felt rough, uneven edges. Pulling away from him, Veronica saw that his entire back was criss-crossed with scars and bruises, old and new.

Veronica spent an hour in the bathroom, drying tears that she didn't mean to cry, and then coming up with a plan.

She borrowed one of the newest electronic tracers from work, and placed it on Bruce. According to her tracer, she was close.

A scream echoed through the alley. Veronica whipped out her sidearm from the holster and ran. A man dressed up in a cheap King Tut costume had a young woman in a chokehold, a knife at her neck.

"STOP. FBI." She yelled. The crook did not stop, and dug the knife into the woman's skin. Accessing the situation and drawing on her training, she shot the crook dead.

Batman swooped down from the sky. "There was another way." He growled, after checking the corpse and attending to the girl's wound with first aid. "You didn't have to kill him."

"I didn't have a choice." Veronica snapped. She put her gun back in the holster and retrieved her cell phone from her pocket. After calling an ambulance, she turned back to Batman.

"There's always a choice. Death isn't an answer."

"I'm licensed to kill." She snapped. "And I think that you'll find that procedure, policy, and the law will be on my side. This is my job. This is what I do."

The tracer in her pocket began to buzz. "Excuse me." The tracer was activated. Bruce was close. But where.

"I…" The excuses she was going to make died as her eyes locked with those behind the Batman's mask.

It was Bruce. _Bruce was Batman_.

They were at a standstill, and nothing would be the same between Bruce and Veronica again.

 

___________________

 

Her dad had flown in for the occasion. Keith Mars looked out of place, even though he'd bought a new suit especially for the occasion. As much as she loved her Dad, he thrived on casework and baseball games, not formal celebrations.

She was a little bit nervous, but wiped the sweat off her hands on her skirt. With shaking hands, she approached the podium.

"I'd like to thank everyone here tonight for all their support!" Veronica spoke into the mike. "I never imagined when I moved to Gotham that I would stand before you all tonight as your new District Attorney. It is evident that Gotham City is a city that faces great challenges, but also great opportunity for change.

I follow in the steps of some incredible people who gave their lives to making Gotham City a better place. It would be wrong not to mention and celebrate the work of Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes. As they did, I believe in Gotham City. I believe in change. We always have a choice, and I choose to believe in a better future. THANK YOU." She yelled, raising her arms in the air in victory.

Bruce's eyes met her across the crowded convention hall. He smiled and nodded before ducking out the door.


End file.
